Keto diet...feel like I'm eating loads...

[confusedfriend101013]

I recently started the keto diet, in a regular day I'll eat as follows...

Breakfast

Poached egg, smoked salmon, 10 g cheese and mushrooms.

Lunch

Chicken salad with 30 g caesar dressing and 10 g cheese
Cup of tea with either teaspoon peanut butter or 10 g of 85 % dark chocolate

Afternoon snack (only if hungry or exercising)

Peperami and 10 g cheese or teaspoon peanut butter

Dinner

Salmon with green beans, mushrooms and salad with 15 g caeser dressing and 10 g cheese.

or

Chicken with spring onions and mushrooms in 30 g sourcream and broccoli, green beans, asparagus.

At bedtime I will usually have a cup of tea and another 10 g of 85 % dark chocolate.

Is what I'm eating okay? I just feel like it's far too much and feel full and not hungry at all which I've never experienced on any type of diet before. Am I going wrong somewhere?

Thanks x

[Aquamarine1029]

Regardless of what diet you're following, you still need to be very mindful of how many calories you're taking in. Too many calories equals weight gain or no weight loss. Do you know how many calories you're eating a day?

[confusedfriend101013]

About 1600

[Aquamarine1029]

I think what you're doing sounds great!

[confusedfriend101013]

Thanks Aqua, it's just so weird being on a diet where I don't feel constantly ravenous. I think surely this is too good to be true haha!

[QforCucumber]

Have a look at the LCHF boards and Low carb bootcamp on here, they're great for recipe ideas when you get stuck!

[mooncuplanding]

One of the successes of keto is that you are just not so hungry. I've been on it since Feb and I found that even after a few weeks, I was dropping a meal because I was so full.

I do 'intuitive' keto now, listening to my body and what it needs. Turns out I mostly eat one meal a day. I have a high fat large meal in the evening and can go all day (most days) without eating. This frees up lots of time, saves money etc.

I am not saying that this is where you will end up, all of us are different, but keto is like no other diet in that you are deliberately changing the way you are fueled and this has an impact on your available energy. Being fueled by ketones (rather than glucose) means you have mental clarity and the capacity to use body stores should you need them.

I'd recommend that you listen to what your body is telling you. If you aren't massively hungry for breakfast, skip it, see how you get on. There is no disputing that fasting is good for overall health, it has amazing effects on you, including loose skin if you have a lot of weight to lose. I must caveat however, if you skip a meal, if you start to feel lethargic or fatigued, you must EAT - this is not a diet where you should feel hungry - you should feel satiated and energised.

[mooncuplanding]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-44005092

Here is some info about fasting / autophagy. You are telling us you are full, so I'm putting this here to reassure you it is OK to skip a meal and go for long periods without eating. This is so alien to people when they eat a lot of carbs, but once you have experienced the fullness of keto, it makes perfect sense!

[confusedfriend101013]

Thanks for that Cucumber, I will check that out!

That's great moon that it is working so well for you! Did it take a while in the beginning to feel the benefits, I've got a bit of a headache today, very tired, a bit irritable, meant to be going to gym tonight but I just have no motivation which isn't like me. Just wondering if this is normal in the beginning also. On the plus side...at least I'm not hungry

[confusedfriend101013]

Also feel bit dizzy and foggy brain! I don't mind powering through as long as normal.

[confusedfriend101013]

Thanks for that moon, will give it a read!

[mooncuplanding]

Are you new to keto and is the 'fogginess' the keto flu?

This is a real thing as you withdraw from sugar and carb fueling, you literally get flu likes symptoms. It doesn't last. Drinking bone broth and getting your electrolytes can relieve this - are you taking anything?

[mooncuplanding]

I also did lose the will to exercise in the first few weeks. So I just didn't.

Once through the transition and become fat fueled, your energy will return with abundance. I like fell running now, and can just keep going forever!

This might happen to you though if you 'like' exercise. I found that the stuff I did pre-keto I was generally doing to try and maintain weight. Now that I am in control of my weight I only do exercise I actually genuinely enjoy

[confusedfriend101013]

Yeah I am literally on day 4...so very new. Had done something similar a few years back, not as intense but was low carbs and it did seem to work very well and very quickly for me and I managed to keep weight off for two years but within past year weights been creeping up and I've also been diagnosed with PCOS so heard that keto diet can really help the symptoms of this.

I have just googled 'keto flu'....this is EXACTLY how I feel, I have been feeling sicky too, so glad to know its normal! Phew! No I'm not taking any supplements, what should I be taking?

I usually do enjoy exercise (well the feeling afterwards) but I just can't find it in me tonight, going to force myself and see if it makes me feel better, if not I'll take a break for this week and see how I feel next!

[mooncuplanding]

I thought it might be keto flu!

The thing you do (that I didn't do and just endured it) is take electrolytes - so extra salt and lo-salt (for the potassium) and then a magnesium supplement at night. You need it because you can't hold as much water when you don't have carbs in your body (1g of carbs holds 3g of water or something like that) but basically you will lose a lot of water weight early in the way of eating, while your body adjusts, but it also acts a little like a diuretic so you lose salt and need to supplement either by adding it to your food , making your own electrolyte drink or buying electrolyte tablets.

It is really supposed to help with PCOS so fingers crossed. I have read some really amazing stories around that :-)

[mooncuplanding]

And the research we have all been fed about salt, seemingly is rubbish, so (I'm not a doctor) there is no problem in salting your food and you will feel instantly better

[confusedfriend101013]

Aww thanks so much moon, you have been amazingly helpful! I will get some supplements tomorrow! Made the gym and do feel better for it!